Razor sharpener



Jan. 3, 1967 G. E. STEWART 3,295,397

RAZOR SHARPENER Filed Oct. 25, 1964 INVENTOR. GERALD E. STEWART ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,295,397 RAZOR SHARPENER Gerald E. Stewart, 262 Texas St. San Francisco, Calif. 94107 Filed Oct. 23, 1964, Ser. No. 405,962 1 Claim. (Cl. 76--81.7)

This invention relates to a new and useful razor sharpening machine.

The primary object of my invention is to provide an improved electrically operated razor sharpening machine having rotatable leather-faced discs arranged in laterally spaced relationship with respect to each other to provide opposed honing surfaces for alternately engaging with the sides of a straight-edge razor held between the discs and manually oscillated back and forth to bring first one side of the razors edge into engagement with the honing surface of one disc and then the other side of the razors edge into contact with the honing surface of the other disc.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an imposed razor sharpening machine of the kind characterized, comprising laterally spaced discs having opposed honing surfaces of leather or other suitable material backed by resilient foam or plastic rubber which imparts flexibility to the honing surfaces to increase their effectiveness.

Another object of my invention is to provide a razor sharpening machine of the kind characterized having an electric motor connected in an electrical circuit which is adapted to be closed automatically by a switch which is actuated upon the opening of the cover, to commence the rotation of the discs, such switch being opened when the cover is closed, to discontinue the machines operation.

Other and further objects of my invention will be pointed out hereinafter, or will be indicated in the appended claim, or will be obvious to one skilled in the art upon an understanding of the present disclosure. For the purpose of this application, I have elected to show herein certain forms and details of a razor sharpening machine which is representative of this invention; it is to be understood, however, that the embodiment of my invention herein shown and described is for purposes of illustration only, and that therefore it is not to be regarded as exhaustive of the variations of the invention in the art.

In the accompanying drawing:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a razor sharpening machine embodying my invention, showing the cover in a closed position and also showing a portion of the casing broken away;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the machine with the cover removed;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the machine, showing the cover in an open position;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the machine; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged diagrammatic view, partly in section, showing portions of the rotatable discs with a razor positioned for engagement with the opposed honing or sharpening surfaces.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral designates a suitably shaped casing mounted on rubber feet 11 and having a swinging cover 12 supported thereon. The

cover is connected to the rear side of the casing by a hinge 13, which allows the cover to be swung rearwardly to an open position and forwardly to a closed position. The forward end of the cover is provided with a push button member 14, which is adapted, when pressed inwardly, to actuate a resilient latch 15 to release the latter from engagement with a projecting keeper 16 on the casing, thereby permitting an elongated, upstanding spring 17 secured to the rear end of the casing to swing the cover upwardly and rearwardly to an open position. When the cover is returned to a closed position, the latch 15 may again be connected to the keeper 16 to secure the cover in its closed position. The spring 17 normally presses upwardly on the cover to provide means for automatic-ally swinging such cover to an open position when the latch 15 is released from the keeper 16.

Supported on bearings 18 and 19 mounted on opposite sides of the casing 10 is a horizontal shaft 20 to which laterally spaced circular metal discs 21 and 22 are axially secured. The discs 21 and 22 are adapted to rotate in unison with the shaft, and such discs are maintained in suitably spaced positions by a spacing collar or washer 23 on the shaft. Secured to the inner faces of the metal discs 21 and 22, respectively, are resilient circular members 21a and 22a, made, preferably, of sponge rubber, and secured to the inner sides of such resilient members 21a and 22a, respectively, are thin leather sharpening or honing discs 24 and 25, The discs 21 and 22 are sufficiently large in circumference to permit a razor R to extend substantially its full length between the honing discs 24 and 25, there being a suitable groove 26 in the upper edge of the rear wall of the casing 10 to prevent the lateral displacement of the razor as the latter is manually held and oscillated to the left and right to cause the sides of its cutting edge to make contact with the honing discs alternately during a razor sharpening operation. The discs 21 and 22 are suitably spaced from each other to make possible the suitable engagement of the sides of the cutting edge of the razor with the honing discs 24 and 25 to sharpen the razor.

The metal disc 22 is formed with a peripheral groove 27 for the connection of an endless drive belt 28 which provides means for operatively connecting the disc 22 with a pulley 29 secured to the drive shaft 30 of an electric motor 31, which is mounted in the casing. The electric motor 31 is electrically connected to an electric switch 32, which is adapted to close the electric circuit supplying electricity to the motor when the cover 12 is swung upwardly to an open position. A suitable member 33 provided on the cover engages with a push button member 34 on the switch to open such switch automatically when the cover swings downwardly and is closed, such push button member being adapted to close the switch automatically when the cover is opened. A socket 35 on a side of the casing 10 is adapted to receive the metal prongs of a plug-in type of electrical connector (not shown), connected to an electrical. cord leading to a source of electrical current.

What I claim is:

In a razor sharpener, a casing, a cover connected by hinge means to an end of the casing, bearing members supported on opposed sides of the casing, a shaft supported in the bearings, a pair of laterally spaced discs on the shaft, said discs having opposed honing surfaces thereon adapted to be engaged alternately by the sides of a razor, an electric motor in the casing, a pulley secured to the drive shaft of the motor, an endless drive belt COIIIICCtiHg the pulley and one of the discs, a spring latch normally engaging with a keeper on the casing to hold the cover in a closed position, a push button member carried on the cover to release the latch from the keeper, spring means to swing the cover to an open position when the latch is actuated to a released position, an electric switch connected in an electrical circuit supplying electricity to the motor, and means to close the switch automatically when the cover swings to an open position,

such means automatically opening the switch when the cover is closed.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS GRANVILLE Y. CUSTER, JR., Primary Examiner. 

